Houston Neighborhoods with the Most Crime

As a Houston resident, or someone looking to move into the area, neighborhood crime rates are important. You want to be sure you and your family live in a safe place. You also may be interested in understanding the problems individual neighborhoods face so that you can be part of a solution. No matter what the reasons for your interest are, the Houston Police Department (HPD) tracks crime within the city and has published which crimes are most often reported in each neighborhood.

If you are being charged with a crime in the Houston area, you’ll need an experienced lawyer to help guide you through the legal and criminal defense processes. Call a criminal defense lawyer at The Law Offices of Ned Barnett at (713) 222-6767 for a free and confidential case consultation today.

Neighborhoods with the Most Reported Crimes

The region with the greatest number of crimes reported was Area 14D20 – South Central – which includes Blueridge, Sunnyside, Brook Haven, and Bayou Estates. There were 2,663 offenses reported. The top reported crimes were 246 reports of assaults/family violence, 201 aggravated assaults with a deadly weapon, and 111 burglaries of items in vehicles.

Area 17E10 – Southwest – had the second highest number of reported crimes with 2,388 offenses being reported. This area also includes Blueridge, Sunnyside, Brook Haven, and Bayou Estates. Here the top reported crimes were 219 juvenile runaways, 151 burglaries of the contents of vehicles, and 121 assaults/family violence.

The area with the third highest number of reported crimes was Area 19G10 – the Westside – which includes Concourse South and Westwood Mall. A total of 2,370 crimes were reported. There were 188 burglaries of items from cars, 140 assaults/family violence, and 107 aggravated assaults with a deadly weapon.

The region with the next most reported crimes was Downtown Central – Area 1A20 – with 2,359 offenses reported. It encompasses the Fourth Ward, Avondale, and Westmoreland. There were 767 reports of burglaries of items from vehicles, 103 reports of theft of miscellaneous items from vehicles, and 88 reports of criminal trespassing.

Area 12D10 – Clear Lake – had the fifth most reported crimes at 2,335 offenses being reported. This area includes Almeda Mall, Southridge, Edgebrook, and South Houston Gardens. The top reported crimes were 257 burglaries of contents from vehicles, 130 shoplifting reports, and 128 assaults/family violence.

Not a Perfect Measure of Safety

While the information above can be illuminating, it is not everything you need to know to determine if a neighborhood is truly safe. The HPD offers many warnings about this information, including that it only supplies requests for police services when reports were made. Other types of calls to the police are not recorded.

The information published does not distinguish between attempted and completed crimes. There is also no way to know if the reports were intentional, or well-meaning – albeit false -accusations.

Additionally, some Houston neighborhoods have a greater amount of vehicle and foot traffic and are more densely populated than others. More crowded and busy neighborhoods may receive a greater number of reports, even if the offenses are not reported there.

Have You Been Charged With a Crime?

Sometimes neighborhoods become known for certain types of crimes. In some neighborhoods, people fear home invasions. In others, they feel like they cannot leave anything in their vehicle, because it may be broken into. Unfortunately, when neighborhood residents become overly vigilant for a specific type of offense, they may start to see it where it is not actually occurring. You may be looking for something in your backyard in a jacket and a neighbor reports a suspected burglar. You may be trying to get into your own car, where you locked your keys and other belongings, and a neighbor may call the cops. This heightened fear and vigilance could lead to you facing criminal charges when you are innocent.

Contact a Houston Criminal Defense Lawyer for Help

If you have been charged with committing a criminal offense in Houston, the smartest move you can make is to hire experienced and skilled Houston criminal defense attorney Ned Barnett. He has more than 30 years of experience as both a prosecutor and criminal lawyer. He will review every aspect of your case and analyze the strongest possible defenses. Whether you were accused of assault in South Central or burglary in Clear Lake, he is there to fight for your rights and freedom.

To learn more about how The Law Offices of Ned Barnett can help you, call (713) 222-6767, or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.